March 1st, 2013 04:02 PM

INDIANAPOLIS — The Los Angeles Clippers held off Indiana’s late charge to beat the Pacers 99-91 in Thursday’s clash of NBA divisional leaders and win their seventh game out of eight.

Chris Paul scored 29 points and Blake Griffin finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Clippers, who pushed their lead in the Pacific Division to eight games.

In the day’s other games, Chicago beat Philadelphia to move within three games of Indiana atop the Central Division, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat Minnesota for the 21st time in a row.

ADVERTISEMENT

Indiana’s David West had 22 points, while All-Star Paul George had 20 points and five assists. But without the suspended Roy Hibbert, the Pacers barely resembled the team that had won five straight by an average margin of 23.8 points.

Chicago’s Joakim Noah had 23 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 11 blocks for his third career triple-double as the Bulls beat the Philadelphia 76ers 93-82.

Carlos Boozer added 21 points and 12 rebounds as the Bulls completed a three-game regular season series sweep.

Noah tied the Bulls record for blocks in a regulation game, previously set by Artis Gilmore in 1977.

Jrue Holiday had 22 points for the Sixers, who slumped to a season-worst seventh-straight loss.